Biofertilizer plant opens in Laguna 

By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter

AGRI SPECIALIST, Inc. said it opened a 2,000-square meter automated manufacturing facility in Laguna with a capacity of 7,200 metric tons of biofertilizer annually. 

The facility makes fertilizer that uses the nitrogen-fixing properties of bacteria known as Bio N, a blend of Azospirillum and nutrient-rich mediums developed by the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) in 1991, its Chief Executive Officer and President Mario C. Labadan, Jr. told ����ý.

“The plant’s production capacity is set to meet the country’s biofertilizer needs, with the goal of reducing dependence on imported chemical fertilizers,” the company said in a statement.

Among the staff of the P250-million Bio N facility are graduates of UPLB’s National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology.

The biofertilizer promises to increase farmer incomes, with five 200-gram packs of Bio N fertilizer sufficient for a hectare planted to rice or corn. Every kilogram of the biofertilizer can replace 100 kilos of urea, an inorganic fertilizer, Mr. Labadan said.

Bio N provides 30-50% of the total nitrogen requirement of rice and corn.

Bio N has undergone testing by rice farmers in 13 regions over the past two cropping seasons.

“Farmers have reported healthier plants — characterized by deep green leaves, sturdy stems, and robust root systems — along with fewer pests and reduced need for chemical pesticides,” the company said, citing findings from its pilot studies.